Texas A&M kicks off the 2023 college football season in just under two months, and while the offseason is nearing its conclusion sooner than later, it’s time to preview what Jimbo Fisher and his staff will be working with from a roster perspective.
The Aggies featured one of the college football’s fastest running backs last season. Still, his departure opens up a handful of opportunities for the returning tailbacks and one incoming freshman whose upside is sky-high.
Returning production: Junior Amari Daniels returns after appearing in six games for the Aggies last season, totaling 36 carries for 200 yards with an average of 5.6 yards per attempt. Across two seasons with the Maroon and White, Daniels has averaged 5.7 yards per carry as he prepares to take on an elevated role within the offense.
Sophomore Le’Veon Moss gives the running back room an extra dose of experience after appearing in seven games for Texas A&M last year. He finished with 27 carries for 114 rushing yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.
Though his opportunities were limited, Earnest Crownover rounds out a trio of returning tailbacks in what will be his fourth season in Aggieland. Throughout his collegiate career, Crownover has logged ten carries for 35 yards to go alongside one reception for 25 yards.
Departures: The Aggies will have significant shoes to fill after De’Von Achane declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, eventually being selected in the third round by the Miami Dolphins. Achane tallied 196 carries for 1,102 yards and eight touchdowns, with an average of 5.6 yards per carry. He also added 36 receptions for 196 yards and three touchdowns through the air.
Achane finished as the SEC’s third-highest rushing leader in 2022, behind only Ole Miss’ Quinshon Judkins (1,567 yards) and Arkansas‘ Raheim Sanders (1,443 yards).
Final Observation: Losing an elite talent like Achane stings, but the Aggies should be well situated in their transition with a running back room filled with four and five-star talent. Daniels was a four-star prospect out of Miami Central in the 2021 cycle, while Moss was a four-star in the Aggies’ vaunted 2022 recruiting class.
That experience tandem should only benefit Texas A&M’s true freshman in, Rueben Owens, who profiles as a five-star prospect out of El Campo. During his senior season, Owens rushed for 1,785 yards and 25 touchdowns and was ranked as 247Sports’ top overall running back in the country. He’s progressed significantly through spring football that he should be in the rotation as a true freshman, with the potential to be one of the Aggies’ top two backs by season’s end.
New offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino is expected to improve the offense and aid Jimbo Fisher in being a more effective game manager, and a versatile running back room with experience and tremendous upside should play a vital role in that task.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=5]